Chapter 27

27 27- Come and Take it

“I was expecting you, little Greene, Marissa passed him a glare when she heard him. O

“Little Greene?” she cocked a brow “Mr. Sinclair. Isn’t it a bit unprofessional to call your employee with such cheap pet names?” she stated with a confident smile trying to keep the façade before his eyes.

He was still smiling leaning back in his seat. Her insult couldn’t falter it one bit.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, “then what should I call you?” his eyes twinkled, “Strawberry?” Marissa felt her face heating up.

Thank God, he was not standing close to her otherwise she could have slapped across his face. Such a shameless man he was!

“If this is how you are planning to do business then I can consider quitting, sir.” The small smile on his face vanished on her threat and he was aware it wasn’t an empty threat.

He got up from his seat and rounded his desk and walked up to her in the long strides. Marissa observed his panther like grace, the way his broad shoulders were moving with every step.

Though his office was quite enormous but his presence when he stood up, shrank the space of the room.

Oh, no! I can’t afford to fall for him again.

During their marriage, he hardly wore a suit as there was no office during that time, except for his meetings on call.

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T

But seeing him today in that dark grey suit, she realized that he was more than handsome… like a Greek God.

Not realizing that he had reached near her, she swallowed hard while keeping her chin up and shoulders square. Her body was almost glued to the glass wall.

She wasn’t here to back off.

He stood so close to her that her nose was almost brushing his chest. The male scent that used to emit his body was still there.

It had always been intoxicating. Always having this power over her.

“It’s good to see that the girl who used to be quite timid, managed to stand tall all by herself.” Marissa was taken aback by the compliment. She was expecting him to demand some explanations but here he was praising her for her achievements.

No. I can’t trust him? She thought and shook her head.

“I’m not here to get these praises, Mr. Sinclair,”

“Oh!” he made a pout, “sorry. Then why are you here?”

Gosh! His closeness had almost made her forget why she was here. With the panic, slowly building up in the pit of her stomach, she placed her palm on his chest to make him stop from coming

nearer.

“I’m…” again a gulp to wet her throat with her saliva, “I’m here… to do work… with MSin,” She congratulated herself when finished it without tripping or stopping.

Her eyes moved down, not able to meet his green gaze anymore, when she felt his index finger under her chin and he raised her

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face gently, “That’s very good to know… that you are here for work…” he nodded at her encouragingly and Marissa felt as if the skin on her chin where his finger made the contact might burn.

“Th… thanks… I… I’ll look forward to meeting you… Rafe… I mean Mr. Sinclair…” She finished awkwardly and moved away her gaze when witnessed a knowing grin on his face.

She tilted her head a little to get freedom from the magical touch of his finger. Her heart was giving up, but she reminded herself of all the insults and mistrust he gave her.

“I… I… n… need to go….” God! She hated herself for stuttering this badly.

“Can’t you stay a little longer?” it didn’t sound like a question but

more like a caress.

“N…no!” she retorted and turned to leave the room.

“I can provide you with a huge kitchen … if you want…” she turned and found him standing there leaning against the wall just where

she was standing moments ago.

“I don’t want your kitchen!” she snapped at him, but he didn’t smile

at her uneasiness.

“It’s part… of the contract, Marissa… in case you are forgetting,” he said solemnly, and all Marissa wanted to do was bang her head on

the wall.

Why was she acting like this? She was being jumpy for no reason just like a teenage girl.

“Oh. Yes…” she nodded like a fool, “now I remember.”

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No, she still didn’t remember.

“It’s ok,” he said gently and almost raised his hand to hold the black hair strand on her glowing face but then changed his mind and dropped back his hand.

She stepped sideways a few times and then spun around to get out of the office. She felt like she would turn to stone if she stayed there.

Taking a deep breath, Rafael chuckled. Leaning back against the glass wall, he looked at the file in his hands. He wanted to laugh and go after her to tease her because she had again forgotten her file with him.

***

Marissa’s face was heating up due to the encounter. He didn’t ask

her about her kids. Nor he tried to threaten her. It almost seemed

like he was the same Rafael whose eyes used to twinkle in her presence.

There was again the same friendliness for her when he thought she was Valerie. Now she had grown up and would never trust this man again in her life.

“You are back, Marissa!” she heard Delinda who came to her with a friendly smile, “We have submitted our documents and Shang–chi is discussing the menu with Dean.”

“Oh, the menu? Right!” Marissa laughed and threw one arm around the short–heighted girl who sounded too enthusiastic for this

event.

“Have you discussed yours?” she asked Delinda looking back at the

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office door of Rafael.

“Yes, I have. He is waiting for you too,” just then door to another room opened and Dean came out of it, with Shang–chi behind him.

“You want to discuss the menu with me. I know,” Marissa scratched her forehead, “I’ll soon bring my documents to submit so that we

can have this discussion.”

“There is no need for these documents, Marissa,” he blurted and then realized his mistake when Delinda and Shang–chi passed him

curious look.

“I mean… you can submit them later. Just let me know about your best dishes and we can mutually come up with something common,” he gave a little nod to his head and then frowned, “Where is your contract file? Haven’t you brought it from Mr.

Sinclair’s office?”

File? What file?

Marissa gave him a confused look and then wanted to die.

Hell with my memory. What am I doing?

“I’m … sorry,” she mumbled and turned on his heels in embarrassment. In her haste, she didn’t even knock at the door and got in, only to find Rafael still standing in the same position leaning against the wall with her file clutched to his chest.

“I… I was…” she was fishing for some suitable words.

“Yes, Marissa.”

“I…I … want …my file back.”

“Umm hmm,” He smirked, and that caressing was back in his tone,

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“then come and take it.”